HOW PETER PALMER GOT HIS WIFE;

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2492, 30 June 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

HOW PETER PALMER GOT HIS WIFE;

Ok, THE DIFFICULTIES OF OBTAINING A PARTNER IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COLONY.

+ [BY Belladonna.]

CHAPTER IV.—Continued. Mr Carrol was in the parlour by himself, his wife and family being absent. " Mr Carrol," said Fanny, entering the room, "Here's a poor old man in the kitchen. Ho says he fell into the river and lost his horse. I don't know if he is speaking the truth ; he certainly is very wet, but he looks like an escaped lunatic. "I hope not," said Mr Carrol, "but I'll go and see him," and he followed the girl out of the room. Peter rose to his foot as Mr Carrol entered the kitchen, and ho saw at a glance that this was neither an old man nor a lunatic. You are Mr Carrol, fir, I presume. My name i* Palmer. lam the bearer of two letters to you ; but my horn; fell as I was cro«sing the river, and ho has rnn away with my coat and boots, which I had strapped on the saddle before crossing."

" I am sorry you havo been so unfortunate," said Mr Carrol, " but come with me and I will find you some dry garments, and, Fanny, will you take some hot tea into the parlour for Mr Palmer." "Thank you," said Peter gratefully, as he followed his kind host into a bedroom. "Commend me to country folks to be kindly treated," he thought. Mr Carrol got him some dry garnents, and Peter meanwhile gave him an account of his accident, and inquired if there were any lads about who would look for his horse in the morning. " I will give £1 to anyone who finds it," said Peter." "lam CO miles from my farm." "Well, I'll see what can be done. Come with me and have some tea, und then, perhaps, you can toll me the purport of the lost letters." Peter was thoroughly hungry, and did ample justice to his tea. Fanny could hardly believe it was the same man she had seen a short fcimo before, ho looked so different in Mr Carroll's black clothes. "He is quite young," she thought, as sho cleared away the tea things, " and not bad lo iking cither." " That seems a nice girl," said Peter. Now that he was dry and comfortable, his thoughts began to turn to the object of his visit. " Yes," said Mr Carrol, " we hare had Fanuy since she was a child, and Mrs Carrol thinks almost as much of her as one of our own girls. Her mother was a half-caste." " She's the nicest ono I've seen yet," thought Peter, " I wonder if she'll have mo." After a bit he told Mr Carrol the object of his visit. Mr Carrol could not help laughing at Peter's matter-of-fact way of trying to get a wife. " I have three girls grown up. You can see them in the morning. We all breakfast in the hall, and the elder girls have a table near ours. Perhaps one of them would not object to being married. '' Is Fanny one of them," said Peter a little eagerly. " No, I don't count her, several have asked her before, and she always gives no for an answer." " If I'm sure to got no, then I won't try for her,'' said Peter. Next morning at breakfast Peter had a good view of the young ladies as they sat at their table. Fanny was by far the nicest looking, but Peter tried not to look at her ; of the other three, one was a fat, merry, good tempered looking girl; another was tall and slim, with straight ! hair and black eyes ; and the third was very plain and[Maorified. Then'his eyes fell on Fanny, the charmer, but its no use thinking of her after what Mr Carrol told me, he thought so I'll havo that merry-looking one. So he accordingly made known his choice to Mr Carrol after breakfast and asked him to speak to the girl on his behalf.

"Oh no," paid Mr Carrol highly amused at his guest, " I did not undertake to do the courting. I should only spoil your chance. 1 hud quite difficulty enough in proposing for my own wife without being a deputy for anyone else in that matter." " But I don't know lier,'' objected Peter. " Yes, but she has seen you and knows who you are, and if you don't think a previous acquaintance necessary first write a note and tell her you wish to speak to her."

'"Yes, that will do famously," said Peter; "I'll just write and tell her I would like to m«"ry her, and ask her to send an answer to night." " Suppose you write to all three," said Mr Carroll, jokingly; "and take the first one that sends a favourable reply. I think Fanny was not far out," he thought, "when she said lie might be a lunatic. He certainly has an odd way of trying for a wife, and seems so confident, too, of his own attraction. I don't believe one of my girls will have any tiling to say to him."

"But, if all three should v/rite and say yes, which most likely they would," said Peter; "it would make it rather awkward for me, for the two others would be so awfully jealous."

" Perhaps so," said Mr Carrol; "stay here for a few days and try one each day till you ai'3 successful. I will give you their names."

This he accordingly did, and, supply ing him with writing materials, left him to write his proposals. " I mny as well write the three as I'm about it," thought Peter, " though Julia Hayes is that mere girl is pretty pure to say yes. I don't suppose she will be .such a goose as Mary was. However, I'll just keep two copies of this one in case I have the second one to try ; though I know I shan't." So when ho had finished nis epistles, lie strolled out and gave a little Maori girl Gd to deliver the letter to Julia at once, and the messenger gleefully scampered away with her GJ. That evening' as Mr Carrol and Peter were seated together, a knock came to the door and Fanny entered. "Hero's a letter for you, Mr Palmer," she said, her eyes dancing with fun. "Thank you, Fanny," said Peter, as ho took it from her. Now T'll road iny fate. She writes a pretty hand." The letter ran thus : Dear Mr Palmer I am so very much obliged for your kind offer that I hardly know how to thank you. "There, sir, I thought I wasriirlit this time." "Well read on," said Mr Carrol. " Yes, let me see ") I hardly know how to thank you for wishing me to bo your wife, but I must beg to decline the honour.—Yours respectfully, Julta Hayes. " JJeclines the honour ! She declines the honour ! Could you have believed such a thing, Mr Carrol ? " Well, I'll let her see I don't take it to heart, and he flung Julia's letter into the fire. I will send a note to Annie Stuart to-morrow. She has more sense. I thought Julia looked a little flighty ; so perhaps it's as well for me she has said no." Thus the conceited youth consoled himself. The next evening Peter was alone (Mr Carrol being busy in his study), amusing himself by trying to make i lap-dog stand on his hind lejjs, when I Fanny entered the I'ooro, her eyea I

brighter than ever, and dancing with fun. "Here's another letter for you, sir," she said, handing Peter a note. "I hope it contains better news than you brought me last night," said ho smiling. Fanny blushed, and said nothing, and quickly withdrew. " What a pretty little thing she is," thought Peter, forgetting for the moment his note. "I wish—but what am I saying." Ho pioaeeded to open Annie Stuart's letter. "Why," he thought, "it's tho same writing as Julia'n. She don't write, I suppose, and has got her to send an answer for her." It began—" Sir, —I am grateful for your offer, but I don't wish to marry a man I know nothing of, so I cannot have you. —Yours truly, Annie Stuart. P.S.—lf you ask Sarah Barker I daresay she will have you, as I know she would like to be married.— A. S."

"Well, well," said Peter, "if this is not getting bovond a joko. The chits they don't deserve such a chance as I'm eiving them, and if I had not vowed to Bob that I would not come home without a wife, I would just clear off to-morrow. But now I shall have to put up with that "dusky damsel," Sarah Barker. I slionld like a better-looking wife, 1 confess. It's a lucky thing - for hot' the others have refused me. It's the first offer she's ever had, I'll wager, and she knows it's the last she'll ever have, so I need not fear a refusal this time. I shall speak to Mr Carrol and tnke out the license to-night if I can, for I want to bo married at once and get it over. I'm sick of all this humbugging. I must drop a line to Bob and tell him to expect us next week. I wonder what ho will say to his dusky sister-iu-law." While ha was thus thinking Mr Carrol entered, bearing his coat and boots. A lad had just returned with the truant horsr. It had been found quietly feediue about 15 miles off, the saddle and bridle 011 just the samo as when he got away. Peter was very glad to get his property again, as he was nearly giving up the thought of finding his horse. He then told Mr Carrol that he wished to be married at once, "Then, Annie Stuart has accepted you," said Mr Carrol, " I must congratulate you." " No, No," said Peter, " she has not, but Sarah Barker has—at least I sent to her, and there's no chance of a refusal in that quarter, so I'm safe this time." I think you had better wait till you get the license" said Mr Carrol, gravely, for he thought the man must be a little touched, he evidently his " wife on the train." The next morning Fannie came into the parlour, as Mr Carrol and Peter were sitting over the fire. She seemed as if she could hardly speak with suppressed merriment, and merely said, '' A letter, sir," and quickly withdrew. Peter heard her laugh as she shut the door. " I suppose she's giggling to think what an ug!y wife I'm getting after all, for I've no doubt the others have told her of my letters." (Yes, Peter, and do you know that it was pretty Fanny that wrote the answer for them and they had a deal of fun at your expense). I've a great mind, thought Peter, to tell Sarah I've alt ered my mind but no, I'll face it, I wonder how she says yes." ''My very dear Mr Palmer. Your nice letter has given me great pleasure (no doubt of that thought Peter) to thank you enough is quite beyond my pen, I must tell you that I have made up my mind to die an old maid as I don't think there is, or ever will be, a man good enough to please rne. Hoping you will soon find what you are looking for, Your sympathetic friend.— Sarah Barker." " Confound them all," said Peter bringing down his fist on the table with such force that Mr Cirrol jumped up. Why Mr Palmer, what's the matter (I'm afraid its a lunatic I've been harbouring ail this time," ho flionght). "Matter!" said Peter, "just read that and it will tell you, the hussies; I'll never ask another woman to be my wife, never ! tiever ! never ! bringing his fi«t doivn on the table each time I'll go back to Bob and we will be two lazy old bachelors. I'm done with the petticoat sex for ever ! ever ! ever ! bringing his fist down on the tablo harder than before, as lie flunirdown his chnir and marched out of the room. (7b bn Coi'lhuieil.)